Pets play with objects of all kinds, including toys they chew and consume in part or entirely. Artificial bones and other teething toys for exciting the animal's interest and chewing instincts are well known in the art. Dogs, in particular, like to chew on household objects or manufactured pet toys.
Chewable objects perform a number of useful functions for pets. They provide exercise for the pets' jaw muscles, they massage the pets' gums and thus clean the pets' teeth and they provide relief during periods of tooth eruption when animals, specifically puppies, are teething. Chewable objects also provide entertainment for occupying the pets' attention. It is often the case that dogs instinctively consume, in part or in whole, objects that are not beneficial to the health of the animal. Even certain pet products for dogs can be detrimental to the dog when larger pieces are torn apart and consumed.
Chewable pet toys have been available for many years. Many are impregnated with odors or flavoring materials which are attractive to the pet. These toys are made of various materials, such as rawhide, rubber and plastic. One shortcoming of these products is that after a short period of time the flavor diminishes and the animal loses interest in the toy.
A variety of chew toys and chew products have been manufactured for the entertainment of pets. These chew toys and chew products are made from a variety of materials. For example, rawhide, woven fabrics, plastic or rope have been used but they are subject to breakdown from continued chewing and may also cause digestive problems if large or sharp pieces are swallowed. Softer chew toys and chew products may not be used while the pet is unattended for extended periods since, by instinct, pets will consume the pieces. More stable materials, such as rubber or plastic have also been used for such chewable objects but frequently these materials have undesirable tastes and quickly lose the attention of the pet. A variety of methods have been developed to impregnate chewable objects with odor or flavor extracts or animal meals. These products have limited success in exciting the pet into chewing a chew toy manufactured with undesirable materials.
A significant limitation of rawhide roll toys for pets includes the tendency of the pet to unwrap and quickly consume large portions of the rawhide roll. Such quick consumption of rawhide rolls is uneconomical and can even lead to severe digestive problems. It has been observed that free access to the exposed ends of the rawhide roll allows the pet to chew and quickly consume the rawhide roll. Another significant limitation of known rawhide rolls is the staining of furniture, carpet, clothing, etc. that come into contact with a saliva-wetted roll.